


Counting Stars

by joss80



Category: Longmire (TV)
Genre: F/M, First Kiss, Humor, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-21
Updated: 2014-03-21
Packaged: 2018-01-16 10:39:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,856
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1344442
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/joss80/pseuds/joss80
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Walt and Vic stop to do some star-gazing on the way home from a late-night call-out. Set post-season 2.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Counting Stars

The sky is pitch black above them as they speed through the night in the middle of nowhere, Wyoming, on their way back to town. Aside from the headlights of the Bronco, the dull glow of the dashboard lights are the only bright points around, and Vic can see the worry lines creasing Walt’s forehead in their reflection.

“Hey,” she says, placing a hand on his thigh and patting it gently, “They'll work it out. Or we will, for them."

He steals a glance over at her, and the corner of his mouth curls up in a half-smile as he trains his eyes back on the dark road ahead of them. Domestic disturbance calls get both of them really riled up, especially so at one in the morning.

“I know. It just always get to me, how people can treat those they supposedly _love_ like that.”

He tries to focus on driving, but he can still feel the residual warmth from her hand on his thigh and it’s distracting. They continue on in silence for a few minutes, both lost in thought.

“Pull over for a minute?” she asks suddenly, and he is so surprised by her request that he doesn't ask but just _does_. She has her seatbelt undone as soon as he comes to a stop, and her door is open - and then closed again - a few seconds later. He sees her grin at him from in front of the SUV, then she beckons to him and climbs onto the hood. He can see the back of her khaki shirt pressing against the windshield as she settles her body against the glass and metal, and he knows that he'd better join her before she starts hammering on the vehicle with her fist, just to get him to move.

He switches off the engine and cuts the lights and climbs up onto the hood next to her, and the metal is as warm beneath him as the woman is beside him. They lie there, arms _just_ touching, and the cool, fresh nigh air fills his lungs and his body with a sense of promise, with a strange surety and reminder that not all is wrong with the world.

"So, what are we doing up here?" he asks after a moment, and he turns his face towards her. She doesn't respond verbally but points instead towards the heavens, and her fixed gaze and rapt attention are all the answer he needs.

He looks up and draws in a sharp breath. The night sky above is brilliant, laid out with a million sparkling stars in an awe-inspiring tapestry. 

"There!" She urges suddenly, pointing again, and he sees the tail end of a shooting star as it burns up in the atmosphere. Then she turns her face towards him and grins. "Meteor shower tonight. I almost forgot."

"You do this often?" He asks. She's still looking at him, but her gaze becomes wistful.

"Sometimes, by myself. Not in a long time with company." Then she seems to come back to herself and smiles again. "It's way better out here than in Philly, of course. Here you can hardly see your hand in front of your face on a dark night like this."

A light breeze picks up, ruffling the hair that's come loose from her ponytail, and she crosses her arms to cover her chest.

"Wow, the temperature's really dropping now."

He gives her that half-smile again and raises his right arm out and up above her head in invitation. It's a bold move, offering her warmth against him, but not completely unexpected. At least, that’s what he hopes. They’ve been tiptoeing around each other since the confrontation with Lizzie at his cabin, and the stolen glances and subtle touches have got them both on edge.

She props herself up on one arm and looks down at him. “Really?” she asks, and though she tries to sound her usual, sarcastic self, the vulnerability in her voice comes shining through.

He nods and beckons with his outstretched hand, and she smirks at him before lying down on her back again and scooting over a few inches so that she’s pressing against his side. His right arm moves down under her head and around her right arm, and when his fingers tentatively meet those on her hand she opens them so they can intertwine. He feels her body relax next to him as she breathes out, and he lets himself do the same. This is new, unchartered territory, but it’s good.

“So,” he begins quietly, as he tilts his head to whisper against her ear, “I forgot my _Star-Gazing for Dummies_ book at home. Can you help me out?”

She laughs,and he can feel her rib cage reverberate against his own. It puts a smile on his face, which widens to a full-on grin as her left hand comes up and she slaps his side playfully.

“Wow, that’s a really good line, Walt.” She’s laughing through her words, and he squeezes her right hand tighter in his as she slowly stills and both their nerves settle. She’s called it out for what it is, and he’s not about to deny it.

“You really want to know about the stars?” she asks softly, and that vulnerability is back again, clear as day. Or night, as the case may be.

“Yeah,” he admits. “You know, while we’re watching for meteors. Teach me a few things so I can impress Henry the next time we’re out late together.”

“Okaaaaay….” she drawls, and he can hear the hint of humor in her voice before she sombers and clears her throat. She shifts their joined right hands so that they’re over her stomach, pulling the two of them closer together as she gets comfortable. Then she raises her left hand and begins pointing again, and he tries his best to follow.

“Let’s start with the basics. Big Dipper, over there. It looks like a large pot. Do you see the handle?” She gestures and moves her fingers to show the shape, and he spots it.

“Got it,” he confirms, feeling oddly proud of himself.

Her hand is moving again, towards the opposite side of the sky, and he refocuses to keep up.

“Little Dipper. You’re looking for the same thing, only it’s smaller. See? Over there?”

He moves his head closer to her so he can better follow her arm’s line of sight, and spots it right away.

“Yup.” His cheek is almost resting against hers, but they both pretend to ignore it as she points again to a spot somewhere in between.

“Cassiopeia,” she announces, and zig-zags her finger horizontally. “It looks like a big ‘W’.”

That one is easy to pick out, but he leans in again anyway just to test the waters and his cheek brushes against hers before he pulls away slightly. Two seconds later, her right hand moves their joined fingers down over her stomach a fraction, and when she releases his fingers he finds his hand resting against the belt buckle at the top of her jeans. She shifts slightly onto her side towards him, and his hand slides to the curve of her hip as she turns. He hooks his fingers into a belt loop on her jeans as her right hand comes to rest on his own stomach, and he pulls her closer towards him. 

There is now no doubt that the proverbial lines are being crossed by both of them, and long-forgotten feelings starts to take root in his chest. This is more than the thrill of the chase or some idle hope. It’s genuine excitement and nervousness all woven up in threads of possessiveness and hunger and a clarity that is suddenly startling, and he can feel his heart start to speed up as they hurtle towards the inevitable.

“One more,” she whispers, and her breath caressess his cheek. “Orion, the hunter.”

“This one I know.” His voice is a low rumble as he searches the sky for the telltale belt and sword of the constellation, but he can’t find it. His head turns from left to right as his eyes dart back and forth across the expanse of stars, and it’s only when he’s uncharacteristically flustered and he has turned so far that he finds him looking directly into Vic’s eyes that he realizes she’s trying to suppress a giggle.

“What?” he asks, slightly grumpy and disappointed with himself.

“Trick question,” she responds cheekily. “You can’t see Orion at night during the summer.” Her eyes sparkle with mischief in the dim starlight, and he suddenly pulls her harder against him. Her mouth opens in a small ‘o’ of surprise at the move, and their lips are dangerously close as he searches those expressive eyes with his. 

“You’re gonna pay for that,” he threatens lightly.

“Oh, I hope so,” she shoots back with the attitude he knows and loves.

He turns fully towards her, then, and brings his left hand up to brush the hair away from her face as he slowly lowers his lips to slide against hers. The touch is soft and warm against the cool night air, and a thrill of anticipation courses through him as he pulls back a fraction. He can see the wildness in her eyes and knows that it’s mirrored in his own, and when he leans forward again she meets him halfway. This time the feel of her lips sear a memory into his brain as they dance across his, and he tries to pulls her even closer as the kiss deepens and his tongue brushes across her bottom lip. 

It isn’t long before her hand has crept down to his ass and his hand is edging up against the soft skin under her shirt, and as he tries to roll her onto her back again he feels himself sliding unceremoniously off the hood of the Bronco and almost takes her with him. She shrieks but he manages to stop her fall, as he braces his hands against her hips and lowers her the rest of the way down. He doesn’t let go as they stand together, both breathing hard, and he bends down to place a kiss on her forehead before pulling her to him in a fierce hug.

“I would say we should use the back seat instead next time,” she mumbles into his shoulder, “Only, there isn’t one.”

A smile lights his face as he pulls back to look at her, and the quirky grin and raised eyebrows that greets him in return make him chuckle.

“Next time,” he begins, and she looks up at him expectantly, “Let’s try this meteor shower thing on a blanket in my backyard.” He lifts his fingers to graze across her cheek, and her eyes drift closed for a second.

“Mmmm, sounds good,” she agrees softly, then nudges his boot with her own. “Maybe we’ll even get to the meteor-watching part.” The smirk is back, and he silences it with a long kiss before he pulls back one final time and lets go.

“Don’t count on it.”


End file.
